Wire-weaving machine.



A. L. KITSELMAN. WIRE WEAVING MAGHINE. APPLICATION rum: JUL! 1, 1908.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912 11 mums-sum 1.

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A'. .L KITSEILMANQ WIRE WEAVING MACHINE. APPLICATION PIL'ED JULY 1,1908;

Patented Jan. 9, 19 12,

11 sun's-sum 2.

A. L. KITSELMAN.

WIRE WBAVING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 1, 1908.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912 11 sums-SHEET a.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'HCO"WASHINGTON. u. c

- A. L. KITSEIIMAN.

WIRE WBAVING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 190a.

Patented Jan.9, 1912.

11 SHEETSSHEET 4.

A. L. KI'I'SELMAN.

WIRE WEAVING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1903.

1,014,599. I Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

VIII/III] A. L. KITSELMAN.

- WIRE WEAVING MACHINE. APPLIUATION nun JULY 1, 1908.

' Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

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A. L. KITSELMAN.

WIRE WEAVING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 190B.

Patnted Jan.9, 1912.

ll SHEETS-SHEET 8.

A; L. KITSBLMAN.

WIRE WEAVING MACHINE. APPLIOATIOVN'PIYLBD JULY 1, 190B.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912,

11 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

xix kwkw A. L. KIT$ELMAN. WIBB -WEAVING MACHINE. APPLIOATION rum) JULY1', 199a.

Patented JaQnf9,1912. 7

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A. L. KITSELMAN.

WIRE WEAVING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1908.

" Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

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ALVA L. KITSELMAN, OF MUN GIE, INDIANA;

WIRE-WEAVING- MACHINE.

. make and use the same.

' This invention has reference tomachines for weaving wlre fence fabricsand 1s designed more especially for weaving light.

fabrics, such as a poultry .nettingor fabrics which are made up ofcomparatively light wire having small meshes which may be used fortrailing climbing vines and similar plants. If used as a poultrynetting, it may be made in Various widths or heights, up to six or sevenfeet or more, and if used for vines and plants, the fabric may be madein panels of different widths, as may be desired. The preferredconstruction of fabric or the shape of the meshes to be woven in thefabric, are a half diamond mesh; or a plain hex-netting with themarginal and mesh forming wires only, or a heX-netting, including notonly the marginal and mesh forming wires, but also intermediate linewires which be understood that no limitation is here placed on thecharacter of the netting to be made, as other and various forms might bemade if it were desirable.

One of the objects of the present invention, isto provide a wire weavingmachine for the manufacture of fabrics such as I have referred to, whichmay be operated continuously, thereby producing the fabric very rapidlyand at considerable less cost than heretofore. It has not been adifiicult proposition to manufacture continuously and very rapidly whatis known as field fencing having different styles. of meshes, which arenaturally much larger than the meshes in fabrics such as I have hereinreferred to, and where the twisting, coiling or connecting devices arearranged at convenient distances aparinbut it has been a difficultmatter to manufacture continuously and very rapidly fabrics or netting,such as herein referred to, because of the fact that the meshes 'arevery small, necessitating that the twisters, coilers or connectingdevices shall be placed very closely together, whereby the.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 1, 1908.

Patented Jan. 9,1912.

Serial No. 441,382.

small meshes desired may be formed. Fabrics or netting such as I havereferred to, are not new with me, but machines which have beenconstructed to make the same are very slow and have an intermittentoperation, making it costly to produce and causing it to be sold at amuch less profit than would be" the case where the wires could behandled continuously and the fabric produced rapidly, such as is thecase with a machine or machines such as herein illustrated andhereinafter described.

The invention has for its further object, the supporting of thetwisters, coilers or connecting devices on a movable or travelingsupport, preferably a rotary drum, to which and over which the line andmesh forming and marginal wires are fed and during the interval of thewires passing over the drum, they. are operated upon by the twisters,coilers or connecting devices for weaving the .1317

said wires to produce a fabric or netting desired, and from said drum,the completed fabric or netting is led to and wrapped about a suitablewrapper or similar means.

The invention has for its further object,

the supporting of the twisters, coilers or wire connecting devices uponsuitable supports on the drum, whichsaid supports are adapted to bemoved lengthwise of the drum with the twisters, coilersOI'gZOIlIlQQtiIlg de- 7 vices carried thereby, whereby as the meshforming wires are fed into or engaged by the twisters, coilers or wireconnecting devices, said wires are shifted or deflected for the purposeof placing them in line with the i line and marginal wires, which aresubsequently fed into or engaged by the twisters, coilers or wireconnecting devices engaging the mesh forming wires, for connecting saidmesh forming wires with the line and marginal wires for producing thefabric or net.- ting desired. In other words, the line,mesh forming andmarginal wires are fed to the twisters, coilers or wire connectingdevices in parallel lines, and the marginal and line i wires maintaintheir same direction of travel during the connection of the same withthe mesh forming wires, the same as they do when they are being fed tothe same, but the mesh forming wires are fed into or engaged first bythe twisters, coilers or connecting devices, and after such feeding intoor engagement of the mesh forming wires by said twisters, coilers orconnecting devices, the

traveling supports which carry the twisters,

lengthwise for the purpose of deflecting the mesh forming wires, wherebythey are alternately carried from adjacent line wires or adjacent lineand marginal wires, so as to be, brought in the line of travel of theline and marginal wires, when said line and marginal wires are thenengaged by the twisters, coilers or connecting devices, and said line,marginal and mesh forming wires where they coincide, are twistedtogether, preferably by a right and left twist; thatis to say, it ispreferred to feed the wires into what may be termed body twisters, wherethe wires within the twisters are twisted right and left from the centerof the said twisters.

The invention has for its further object, the supporting of thetwisters, coilers or wire connecting devices in a support adapted to beintermittently moved lengthwise and to operate the said twisters,coilers or wire connecting devices by means movable lengthwise of theirsupport andbeneath said twisters, coilers or connecting devices; saidsupports and operating means for the twisters,

coilers or connecting devices adapted at predetermined intervals to besimultaneously moved lengthwise, and said operating means also adaptedto be moved lengthwise through said support during an interval when saidsupport is held against lengthwise movement.

For a further and full description of the invention herein and themerits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details ofconstruction of the means for effecting the result, reference is had tothe following description and drawings hereto attached.

WVhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1is a greatly reduced side elevation of a wire weaving machine embodyingmy improvements, with certain of the wires being fed thereto; Fig. 2 isa front elevation thereof and on approximately the same scale as themachine is shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front elevation on a somewhatlarger scale of only a portion of the machine as it is shown in Fig. 2;Fig. 4is a longitudinal section of the machine as the same would appearif taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectionas the same would appear if taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2 and lookin gin the direction of the arrow on said figure; Fig. 6'is an enlargedcross section as the same would appear if taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2and looking in the direction of the arrow on said figure; Fig. 7 is anenlarged cross section as the same would appear if taken on the line 77of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrow on said figure; Fig.8' is an enlarged cross section as the same would appear if taken on theline 88 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrow on saidfigure; Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section showing the manner ofsupporting and operating one of the twisters as the same are embodied inthe construction shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a detail elevation showinga portion of one end of the machine with the twisters and their supportsremoved, the cam tracks, one of the end heads for the twister supportsand also the intermediate head; Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevation of oneof the end heads for the twister supports and loo-king at the end headshown in 'Fig. 10, in the direction of the arrow indicated in saidfigure; Fig. 12 is an enlarged elevation of the intermediate head, inwhich rests the twister supports, and looking at said head, as the sameappears in Fig. 10, in the direction of the arrow on said last mentionedfigure; Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail in plan, showing one end of one ofthe twister-supports, a rack-bar and the attachments in connecs tionwith said support and rack-bar, to which are connected rollers which areadapted to travel in the cam tracks disclosed in Fig. 10; Fig. 14 is aside elevation of the devices shown in Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is an enlargedpartial longitudinal section of the machine as the same is shown in Fig.4, except-that the twister supports are of a different construction fromthat shown in said figure; Fig. 16 is a cross section as the same wouldappear if taken on the line 1616 of Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is a cross sectionas the same would appear if taken on the line 17-17 of Fig. 15; Fig. 18is an enlarged detail section showing the manner of supporting thetwister and twister supports as the same are embodied in theconstruction shown in Fig. 16; Fig. 19 is an enlarged detail section ofa portion of the head shown in Fig. 16 and parts supported thereby; Fig.20 is a detail showing one of the twister supporting bars, similar tothat shown in Fig. 4, a rack-bar and several twisters in mesh with therackbar; Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig. 20, except of the deviceswhich are shown in Fig. 15; Fig. 22 is a diagrammatic plan on a scalemuch larger than the scale to which Fig. 15 is drawn, but of devicessimilar to those shown in Fig. 15, showing the completion of a sectionof a hex-netting without the intermediate line wires interwoven therein,but said intermediate line wires are shown in dotted lines; Fig. 23shows a section of a fabric or netting having a half diamond mesh alittle smaller than the full size of the mesh; Fig. 24 shows a sectionof a fabric or netting having hexagon shaped meshes a little smallerthan the full size of the mesh, and omitting the intermediate linewires; Fig. 25 shows a section of a fabric or netting similar to Fig;24, except that the intermediate line wires are introduced or .woventherein.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout thefigures.

The frame work for the machine, as the same is shownin the drawings,comprises the end supports 1, preferably formed with the half-boxings 2,3, 4 and 5, and with said half-boxings cotiperate the caps 6, 7, 8 and 9to form bearings for shafts, which will be described. The caps 6 areformed integral with standards or supports 10 formed with half-boxings11 and 12, with which cooperate the caps 13, forming bearings forshafts, to be described, and said caps 13 are integral with standards 14provided with the half-boxings 15 with which cooperate the caps 16,forming bearings for a shaft, to be described.

17 denotes a drum-shaft which is journaled at its opposite end in thebearings formed by the half-boxings 2 and the caps 6, and on one end ofthe said shaft is a gear-wheel 18, shown in dotted lines in Fig. l andin full lines in Fig. 2, and said gearwheel meshes with a pinion l9 anda gear 20, both of which are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and thepinion shown in full lines in Fig. 2; the pinion carried by adrivingshaft 21, journaled at its opposite ends in the bearings formedby the half-boxings 3 and the caps 7, and the gear 20 carried by a shaft22, having its opposite ends journaled in the bearings formed by thehalfboXings 4 and the caps 8. The shaft 21 is a driving-shaft andalthough no means has been shown for driving the same, it may be drivenin any suitable manner from any source of power, so that when operated,power may be transmitted from the driving-shaft 21 through the pinion 19to the drum-shaft 17, through the gear 18. The shaft 22 may likewise bereferred to as a drum-shaft, for on this shaft is carried a drum,referred to as 23, and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and it isover this drum that the completed fabric is carried or directed in itstravel to the wrapper or take-up, which I have indicated as 24, carriedby a shaft 25 having its opposite ends jo'urnaled in the bearings formedby the half-boxings 5 and the caps 9. The drum 23 is operated throughthe inter-meshing of the gears 18 and 20, when the drumshaft 17 is inmotion, and when in opera tion, relieves the friction which might beoccasioned by the passing of the fabric over the drum 23, if no motionwas imparted to said drum. I have shownno means for driving the wrapperor take-up 24 for the completed fabric, as it may be driven from anyindependent source of power, or may be driven from any of the shafts 17,21 or 22, and have in such drive any compensating means, whereby as theroll of fence fabric becomes larger, the driving-means will. ac-

commodate itself thereto.

26 and 27 denote a pair of similar and parallel shafts which have theiropposite ends ournaled respectively in the bearings formed by thehalf-boXings 11 and 12 and the caps 13 of the standards 10 and 141, and28 denotes a shaft similar to the shafts 26 and 27, which has itsopposite ends journaled in bearings formed by-the half-boxings 15 of thestandards 14 and caps 16. On the shafts 26, 27 and 28, as shown in Figs.2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8, are carrieda plurality of grooved wheels 29, 30 and31. Over the wheels 29, on the shaft 26, are adapted to pass marginaland intermediate line wires, while over the wheels 30, on the shaft 27,are adapted to pass the meshforming wires, and over the alternate wheels31 are adapted to pass the marginal and intermediate line wires, whichalso pass over the wheels 29 and over the intermediate wheels 31 on theshaft 28, are adapted to pass the mesh-forming wires which pass over theWheels 29 on the shaft 27.

Referring to Fig. 3, the marginal wires are indicated as A, and thesewires are shown as passing over the outside wheels 31 on the shaft 28and corresponding wheels 29 on the shaft 26. In this same view, theintermediate line wires are indicated asB and they are shown passingover the alternate wheels 31 on the shaft 28, and the intermediatewheels 29 on the shaft 26, while O indicates the mesh-forming wireswhich are disposed alternately with the line wires, and passing over theintermediate wheels 31 on the shaft 28, and also over the wheels 30 onthe shaft 27 which said wheels are placed alternately with respect tothe wheels 29 on the shaft 26. The plurality of sets of wheels referredto as 29, 30 and 31, are retained in proper position on their shafts 26,27 and 28, by the collars 32, fixed to the said shafts at the end ofeach row of said wheels, the wheels being free to rotate through theaction of the wires engaging the same, thereby relieving the friction ofwire to wheel, which would be the case if said wheels did not rotate,and which would cause said wires to be worn in their passage from thefeeding wheels, not shown, to the drum.

On each end of the shaft 17 and extending inwardly for a suitabledistance from the frame supports 1, are shown corresponding drums 33,having a bearing at the inner ends on the said shaft, and their outerends are fixedly secured to the frames 1 by being bolted .thereto, asshown at 34:; it being understood that while the shaft 17 is rotated,the said drums are not. Each of the said drums are provided withcorresponding cam tracks 35 and corresponding cam tracks 36. These camtracks are best tracks and 36 are dissimilar, with the exception that at37 in the cam track 35, and 37 in the cam track 36, said cam tracks 35and 36 are substantially the same, in a manner and for a purpose whichwill be further explained.

Adjacent to each of the inner ends of the drums 33 on the shaft 17 arecarried and fixed to rotate with the said shaft, similar heads38. Theseheads are each provided with a plurality of spaced slots or cut-outportions 39, which extend down into said heads, a suitable distance fromthe periphcries thereof. Intermediate the said slots or cut-out portions39 of the heads 38, said heads are provided with the inwardly projectingflanges 40, having their matchlng faces spaced apart a distance equal tothe matching faces of the walls of the slots or cut-out portions 39, andsaid flanges are united at their lower ends, by the cross pieces orshelf portions 41, which have their upper faces on a line drawnconcentrically through the base of the cut-out portions or slots 39' insaid head, and the body of the said heads are provided with the radiallydisposed slots 42, which are disposed in the body of the headintermediate the flanges 40 and extend from the upper face of the shelfportions 41 to a point removed a short distance from the peripheries ofthe said heads, the purpose of the cut-out portions or slots 39,the'flanges 40, the shelf portions 41 and slots 42 will be furtherexplained. Intermediate the heads 38 on the shaft 17, is carried a head43, which is also fixed to rotate with the said shaft in unison with theheads 38 when said shaft is rotated. This head is somewhat similar tothe heads 38, although not quite so large in diameter, and is providedwith a plurality of cut-out portions or slots 44 eX- tending down intosaid head a suitable distance' from the periphery thereof. The heads 38and 43 are best seen in elevation in Figs. 11 and 12', and theirpurposes will be further explained.

" The heads 38 and 43, as they have been described, are intended tosupport a plurality of bars 45. Each set of bars comprises two, whichare of suitable length and spaced with their matching faces a shortdistance from each other, and each bar of each and every said sets ofbars, may be rotatably mounted a wire connecting device 47, preferably abody twister having gear teeth around its periphery and provided with awire slot extending down into the body thereof, and projecting laterallyfrom each face is a hub 48, which is adapted to be journaled'in recessedportions 49 in the matching faces of movement lengthwise in the slots orgrooves 39, of the heads 38, rest upon the shelf portions 41 on saidhead, and have movement between the flanges 40 thereof. That is to say,a set of bars at one end of the machine, will project through the slotsor cutout portions 39 of a head 38, but at the opposite end of saidmachine, that set of bars will not project through the head,-but willrest upon the shelf portions 41 between the flanges 40, as eachalternate set of bars is driven from the opposite end of the ma- .chine,as will be more fully explained, and

it is necessary to project the said bars throughthe head 38, wherebymeans may be connected thereto to c05perate with one of the cam tracks.on the drum 33, for causing the said sets of bars to be movedlongitudinallv during a rotation of the drum. Each set (if bars 45 areheld suitably spaced apart at their upper edges by the mounting of thetwisters therebetween, while at the lower edge, the said bars are heldin like manner, suitably spaced apart, by means of a spacing bar 50which extends lengthwise of and between the said bars, to which the bars45 may be connected, and the upper edge of the spacing bars 50, arespaced a suitable distance from the twisters, to provide room forrack-bars 51, which are carried between the bars 45, movable lengthwiseon the spacing bars 50, and in mesh, as will be understood, with thegear teeth of each of said twisters, so that upon moving therack-bars-51lengthwise, said twisters may be operated. Al-

though the sets of bars 45 at one end or the other of the machine, restupon the shelf portions 41 of the heads 38 and between the flanges 40,the rack-bars 51, which are movable therebetween, extend through theslots 42 in the heads 38 between the flanges 40, so as to providesuflicient length of rackbar, whereby when they are operated, they maybe moved sufficiently far to cause the required number of turns to begiven to the twisters 47 for connecting the wires to produce a fabric'netting. 1

To that end of each set of bars 45 which project through the heads 38, Iattach a block 52, see Figs. 4, 6, l3 and 14, and to the lower face ofsaid blocks, are revolubly connected rollers 53 which are designed totravel through the. cam tracks 35 of the drums 33, as best seen in Fig.4. The rackbars 51, which are disposed between the sets of bars 45, foroperating the twisters, and movable longitudinally of said bars, projectbeyond the ends of the sets of bars 45, to which are attached the blocks52, and to the outer ends of said rack-bars are suitably connected orsecured blocks 54, to the lower face of which arerevolubly connectedrollers 55, which are designed to travel through the cam tracks 36 ofthe drums 33, as shown in Fig. 4. The blocks 54 in cross section, areshaped somewhat as seen in Fig. 7, and are carried or supported to be'moved lengthwise on a pair of rods 56, which are secured at their innerends in the heads 38, and at their outer ends are connected to a ring57, which may be detachably or otherwise carried by the drums 33, asbest seen in Fig. 2.

Attention being called to Figs. 2 and 10, it will be seen that therollers 53, carried by the sets of bars 45, as they travel around thedrums 33 and through the cam tracks 35, said rollers will be caused tomove in an irregular path, the most irregular portion of which appearsat 37, as shown in Fig. 10, causing said rollers at a certain point intheir travel, to move toward the head 38, which will cause the set ofbars 45 carrying the same, to be moved lengthwise and projectedlongitudinally toward the opposite end of the machine. The object of somoving the rollers 53 in the cam tracks 35, and for projecting each setof bars 45 longitudinally of the machine, is for the purpose of movingthe twisters or the wire connecting devices 47 from a position beneaththe wire wheels 30, over which move the meshforming wires to a point inline with the inwhich subsequently enter the said twisters termediateline'wires and marginal wires, or wire connecting devices. It will beunderstood that if the twisters or wire connecting devices 47 are movedto a position through the rotation of the drum to receive themesh-forming wires, the wire slots in the said twisters, must becoincident with the pair of corresponding wire grooves or slots 46 inthe bars 45, and that they must be retained in position until after theline or marginal wires have been fed into said twisters or wireconnecting devices, and were not the rack-bars moved simultaneously withthe movement of the sets of bars 45, when the rollers 53 are travelingthrough that portion of the cam tracks 35, indicated as 37, the twistersor wire connecting devices would move over the said racks and theirposit-ions changed, so it is provided that simultaneously with thelongitudinal movement imparted to the bars 45, the rack-bars will bemoved longitudinally for the purpose of insuring that there will be nomotion given to the twisters during their reception of the mesh-formingwires and moving them into position and receiving of the line ormarginal wires. This is accomplished by providing the cam track 36 witha portion thereof, indicated as 37, which shall correspond and besimilar to the portion 37 of I the cam track 35, whereby, when therollers 53 of the bars 45 are moving through that portion of the camtrack 35, indicated as 37, the-rollers 55 of the rack-bar 51, carried bythe bars 45, which support the rollers 53, will move through the portion37 of the cam track 36, simultaneously as the rollers 53 move throughthe portions 37 of the cam track 35. It will be also noted, upon anexamination of Fig. 10, that after the rollers 55 leave the portion 37*-of the cam track 36, they will travel in a straight portion 37 in thecam track 36, which is parallel with a corresponding portion of the camtrack 35, so as to retain the twisters or wire connecting devices in aninoperative position or against rotation, until after the reception bysaid twisters or wire connecting devices of the line or marginal wires,and that immediately upon the twisters or wire connecting devicesreceiving said line or marginal wires, the rollers 55 connected with therack-bars, will move down the inclined portion of the cam track-36 inthe direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 10, or toward the ends of theshafts 17, when the rack-bars will be moved longitudinally or projectedlengthwise, for the purpose of rotating the twisters or wire connectingdevices for twist-- ing the mesh-forming wires with the line or marginalwires.

During the operation of moving the rackbars, as just described, it isnecessary to retain the bars 45 inoperative, so far as lengthwise orlongitudinal movement is concerned, and this is accomplished byconstructing the cam track 35 with the straight portion 37 which willhold the rollers 53 to a straight course during the interval of travelthat the rollers 55 may have int-he cam: track 36, which will cause therack-bars to be moved for operating the twisters or wire connectingdevices. After this operation and when the completed fabric has beenreleased, both the rollers 53 and 55' may travel in a desirable coursearound the remaining portion of the drum 33, through the respectivecam'tracks 35 and 36, for the purpose of bringing the twisters or wireconnecting devices into a position to receive the mesh-forming wires,and then moved,

as above described, to a position, so that the line and marginal wiresmay enter into the same. It will be understood that as the rollers 55are moving through the cam track 36 toward the outer ends of themachine, for the purpose of moving the rack-bars, that the blocks 54have a sliding motion on the rods 56, which serve as guides for the saidblocks.

In Figs. 15, 16, 17 and details of parts thereof, I have shown apreferred form of support for the twisters, coilers or wire connectingdevices on the drum. With the form of twister, coiler or wire connectingde vice support, such as shown in the figures just mentioned, theremoval of one twister, coiler or wire connecting device, or a row ofthe same from the drum, may be accomplished in an easy and convenientmanner, which is not the case with the form of twister, coiler or wireconnecting device support shown in Fig. 4: and similar figures.

Referring to Fig. 16, showing in elevation one of the heads 38, carriedby the shaft 17, it will. be observed that said head is provided. with aplurality of radially disposed slots or cut-out portions 58, extendingdown into said head asuitable distance from the periphery thereof, andthat the inner or end wall 59 of said groove, is semi-circular in shapeor concave, as shown, and the side walls of the said slots or cut-outportions 58, are provided with grooves 60, extending lengthwise of thesame, as best seen in Fig. 19.

Instead of the bars 415 for supporting the twisters, coilers or wireconnecting devices 47, as shown in certain of the figures. andparticularly in F 9 and 20, I employ a plurality of pairs ofsuperimposed supporting rods 61 and 62, each alternate pair of said rodsat one end of the machine, projecting through the alternate slots orcutout portions 58 of the head 38 at that end of the machine,substantially in like manner and.for the same purpose as, do the bars1-5, previously described, and the said rods which project through ahead 38 at one end of the machine, merely extend into and have movementin slots or cut-out portions 58 in the head 38, at the opposite end ofsaid machine, see Fig. 15, in the lower portion of which, a pair of rods61 and 62, are shown projecting through the head 38 at the left hand endof the machine, and at the right hand end thereof, said rods merelyextend Q into and have movement in the head 38.

Intermediate the heads 38, each pair of superimposedsupporting rods 61and 62, have connected thereto and support a series or a plurality oftwister supporting brackets, which said brackets comprise duplicateplates 63. The matching faces of these plates at. or near their upperends, are provided with recessed portions 64, in which may be seated andhave'bearing, the hubs '48 of the twisters 4:7, as shown in Fig. 18.

These plates are secured to the pairs of rods 61 and 62, by providingthe matching faces of the said plates, with corresponding semicircularrecessed portions 65, whereby the said plates may be clamped in pairs tothe rods 61 and 62, as shown in Fig. 18, by bolting the said platestogether as at 66, or otherwise suitably securing the same. When thepairs of plates 63, which, together, form the brackets referred to forsupporting the twisters, areclamped to the rods 61 and 62, sufficientspace is left between the matching faces thereof, to allow for the freerotation of the twisters 47 mounted therebetween, and to also allow forthe carrying of the rack-bars 51 between the matching faces and belowthe twisters to be in mesh therewith, and above the rods 62, which mayform a support for the said rackbars to slide upon, as they are movedlongitudinally for the purpose of rotating the twisters.

Looking at Fig. 15, it is shown in what manner a row of twistersupporting brackets composed of a plurality of pairs of plates 63, aresupported by the rods 61 and 62. In

this said figure, the plates 63 at their upper ends, are providedapproximately with the centrally disposed wire grooves or slots 67,extending down into the said plates a suitable distance from the upperedges thereof, or to a point which coincides with the base of the wiregrooves or slots in the twisters 47. Said plates are also shown providedwith lugs 68 projecting from one of the side edges thereof, and disposedat a suitable point from the upper edges of said plates, so that whenadjacent plates are assembled in a row, as shown in Fig. 15, the lugs 68of one plate, abut against the fiat edge of its adjacent plate,producing what is referred to as a wire groove 69, extending from thetop edges of adjacent plates to the top edges of the lugs 68, whichproduces a wire groove similar to those referred to as 67 in the plate63 and of the same depth as the said wire grooves 67 However, there areno twisters coincident with said grooves 69, and said grooves are merelyprovided for the purpose of, forming a seat for the line and marginalwires, when it is desired to produce a fabric having a hex-mesh with theline wires extending through the meshes, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 22. In this connection, it may be well to note that in each of thebars 45, previously referred to, wire grooves similar to those shown at46 are disposed intermediate the wire grooves which coincide with thetwisters 4C7 supported by the said bars, and serve a like purpose, asthe wire grooves 69, shown'in Figs. 15 and 22.

With the construction of the cam tracks weave a fabric or netting otherthan those which have a diamond mesh and shown in Fig. 23, and if it isdesired to manufacture a hex fabric or netting, as shown in Figs. 24 and25, the form of the cam tracks 35, will have to be modified so as toprovide for moving the successive rows of twisters,

coilers or wire connecting devices, to place said twisters, coilers orwire connecting devices with the wires engaging the same, in a positionto weave the meshes shown in the fabrics or netting illustrated in Figs.24 and 25.

Again calling attention to Figs. 15 and 22, it will be seen that each ofthe plates 63 is provided with the beveled ribs 70, extending lengthwiseof the said plates from the top edges thereof, to a suitable point belowthe wire grooves or slots 67, with the said ribs on either side of eachof the said grooves 67, so that the mesh forming wires where they leavethe grooves 67 in one set of plates, and are directed to similar groovesin another of said set of plates in an adjacent row will be directedover said beveled ribs 70, in the manner shown in Fig. 22, and therebyshape the meshes of the fabric without any sharp corners which mighthave a tendency to kink the wires where they are directed around a sharpcorner. Using verylight wire in the manufacture of light fabrics andnettings, it is desirable to obviate any kinking or wearing of the wire,which would have a tendency to weaken the same.

To each set of rods 61 and 62 are suitably secured blocks which I haveindicated as 71, to the lower face of which, are connected rollers 72which are in most respects similar to the rollers 53 carried by theblocks 52 attached to the bars 45, and serve the same function as do thesaid rollers 53; that is, they travel in the cam tracks 35 of the drums33, whereby the pairs of rods 61 and 62 v with their twister supports,may be moved longitudinally of the drum, substantially in the samemanner and for the same purpose as the bars 45 are moved. The rack-bars51, which coiiperate with the twisters carried by the brackets supportedby the rods 61 and 62, pass through the heads 38, and have connectedtherewith, blocks 73, which are slidably mounted on the rods 61 and 62,and have revolubly connected therewith, rollers 74, which are in mostrespects similar to the rollers 55, carried by the block 54:, connectedwith the rack-bars which are reciprocally carried between the setsofbars 45, and said rollers 74 are adapted to travel in and cotiperatewith the cam tracks 36 of the drums 33, in like manner and for the samepurpose as do the rollers 55, previously described. Attention is herecalled to the mounting of'the rods 61 and 62in the heads 38.

here the rods 61 and 62 pass through the heads 38, they are heldsuitably spaced apart by spacing blocks 75, which have a verticalslidable relation with the slots -or cut-out portions 58 in the saidhead through ribs 76 of the said blocks 75, which have a slidablerelation with the grooves 60, with the matching side walls of the slotsor cut-out portions 58, as shown in Fig. 19, and the rods when in normalposition, in said slots or cut-out' portions 58, are so disposed thatthe rods 61- rest upon the semicircular seat portions 59, at the base ofsaid slots or cutout portions 58, and to retain the rods 61 and 62 inoperative positions in the heads 38, and yet allow them to be movedendwise through the heads at predetermined intervals when the rollers 72are traveling through the cam tracks 35, retaining blocks 77 areemployed, which have a slidable relation with the slots or cut-outportions 58 of the heads, through ribs78, which coiiperate with thegrooves 60 in the matching walls of the slots or cut-out portions 58, asaforesaid, and said retaining blocks 77 have the head portions 79, bymeans of which the said blocks may be secured to the head,

by bolting, as at 80, or otherwise suitably securing the same thereto.These retaining blocks are provided with the elongated slots 81 in thebodies thereof, through which the rack-bars 51, are carried and havemovement during the travel of the roller 74 through the cam tracks 36. p

The object of providing a twister support, or supports, such as shown inFig. 15, and retaining the rods 61 and 62 in the heads 38, as I do, isfor the purpose of enabling an operator to remove an entire row oftwisters or one or more, in a convenient and easy manner, and also forthe purpose of saving as much time in the removing and replacing of thesame, when it is desired. tomove the same for any purposewhatever. Toremove an entire row of twisters, all that will be necessary to do, isto release the bolts 80 or other securing means for securing theretaining blocks 77 in the heads 38, when the rods. together with thetwister supporting brackets, the rack-bars, the spacing blocks 75 andthe blocks 71 and 73, carrying the rollers 72 and 7 1, may be removedfrom the drum and may be easily replaced by reversing the hereinbeforedescribed operation; or

deposited therein, yet it is understood that such may be used and, infact, would be used in a complete and operative machine, and owing tothe fact that such devices are known in the art, it has not been thoughtnecessary to include the same in the drawings, exemplifying the machineherein.

An examination of the means for operating or reciprocating the rack-barsfor the purpose of actuating the wire connecting devices, will disclosethat the alternate rackbars have imparted to them a pulling movementfrom the opposite ends of the machine, rather than a pushing movement;this is preferable, for the reason that the rack-bars are of necessityof very light construction, and under continual use would not stand thestrain of being pushed, particularly under the strain of connecting thewires after they have been deposited in the wire connecting devices.

I am aware that it is not new to support wire connecting devices upon amovable or traveling carrier, for instance a drum, which is intended tobe moved continuously and the wire connecting devices operatedintermittently during the movement of the drum for connecting aplurality of wires fed thereto; also that it is not new to arrange thewire connecting devices in a row, and operate the same simultaneously bymeans of a rack-bar in operative connection with said wire connectingdevices in connection with a traveling carrier or drum or upon a fixedsupport, and further, that it is not new to weave a field fencing havinghalf-diamond meshes, meshes of a hexagon shape either with or without aline wire carried through the meshes upon a traveling carrier, or arotary drum, but the wires in such a machine or machines, which aredeflected for the purpose of weaving either the half diamond or hexagonmeshes, were engaged by or fed through a particular and specificdefleeting mechanism for the purpose of moving said wires to thealternate twisters of the several rows on the traveling carrier or drum,while in my machine, it is at once apparent that the supports upon thetraveling carrier or the drum upon which the wire connecting devices aremounted, serve not only as the supporting means for the.

twisters, but also the deflecting means for deflecting the mesh formingwires outv of line, for the purpose of making the meshes desired, andthat in such a construction, particularly where a rack-bar is used, orequivalent means moving longitudinally beneath the twisters, saidrack-bars, or equivalent means must, at predetermined intervals, and atthe time the mesh-forming wires are deflected, be moved simultaneouslywith and in the direction of movement of the twister supporting anddeflecting means for retaining the twisters inoperative or againstroola-599.

tation, which is that interval of time whenv the mesh-forming wires arebeing deflected, and until after the line wires have dropped into thewire connecting devices, which have previously received and been movedlongitudinally for deflecting the mesh forming wires.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a wire weaving machine, the combination of a plurality of wireconnecting devices arranged in a row a support for said wire connectingdevices, and means for moving said support longitudinally atpredetermined intervals for deflecting wires engaged by said connectingdevices.

2. In a'wire weaving machine, the combination of a traveling carrier, aplurality of wire connecting devices arranged in a row and supportedupon said carrier, means for moving said row of wire connecting devicesat predetermined intervals for deflecting wires engaged thereby duringthe travel of the carrier, and means for actuating said wire connectingdevices subsequent to the movement thereof for deflecting said wires.

3. In a wire weaving machine, the combination of a traveling carrier, aplurality of rows of supports mounted upon said carrier, a plurality ofwire connecting devices arranged in rows and carried'by said supports,means for movin the successive supports lengthwise at predeterminedintervals for deflecting wires engaged by the connect ing devicescarried thereby, and means for intermittently and successively operatingsaid rows of wire connect-ing devices.

4. In a wire weaving machine, the combination of a traveling carrier, aplurality of rows of supports mounted upon said carrier, a plurality ofwire connecting devices arranged in rows and carried by said sup- )ortsmeans for movin the successive su ports lengthwise and in'oppositedirections at predetermined intervals for deflecting wires engaged bythe connecting devices carried thereby, and means for intermittently andsuccessively operating said rows of wire connecting devices.

5. In a wire weaving machine, the combination of a support adapted totravel in an endless orbit, a plurality of rows of wire connectingdevices arranged on said support, means for shifting simultaneously andin succession, each row of wire connecting devices at predeterminedintervals during the movement of said support for deflecting wiresengaged by said connecting devices, and means for intermittently andsuccessively operating said rows of wire connecting devices during themovement of said support.

6. In a wire weaving machine, the combination of a plurality of wireconnecting devices arranged in a row, a support for said wire connectingdevices, reciprocally mounted means in said support for actuating thesaid connecting devices, means for moving said su port lengthwise todeflect wires engaged y said connecting devices, means for moving theoperating means for the connecting devices simultaneously with and inthe same direction with the said support, and means for moving theoperating means for the connecting devices in a re-v verse directionafter the deflection of said wires for actuating the wire connectingdevices to connect said wires.

7. In a Wire Weaving machine, the combination of a plurality of wireconnecting devices arranged in a row and provided with toothedperipheries, a support for said wire connecting devices, a rack-barcarried by said support and in mesh with said connecting devices, meansfor moving the support lengthwise at predetermined intervals fordeflecting wires engaged by said connectin devices, means for moving therackbars simultaneously with the support and in the same generaldirection therewith, and

means for moving the rack-bar in a reverse direction subsequent to thedeflection of the wires for actuating the connecting devices to connectsaid wires.

8. In a wire weaving machine, the combination'of a plurality of rows ofwire connecting devices, supports for each of said rows of connectingdevices, rack-bars carried by each of said supports in operativeconnection with said connecting devices, a cam and means carried by saidsupports cooperating with said cam for intermittently moving thesupports lengthwise to deflect wires engaged by said connecting devices,a cam and means carried by the rack-bars cooperating therewith, formoving each of said rack-bars simultaneously with their supports and inthe same general direction therewith, said last mentioned cam soarranged, that said rack-bars are reciprocated subsequent to thedeflection of the wires for actuating the twisters to connect saidwires.

9. In a wire weaving machine, the com bination of a traveling carrier, aplurality of wire connecting devices arranged in rows and supported uponsaid carrier, means for intermittently and successively shifting each ofsaid rows of wire connecting devices during the movement of the carrierfor deflecting wires engaged by said connecting devices, rack-bars inoperative connection with each of said rows of connecting devices, meansfor retaining the connecting devices inoperative duringthe time they areshifted, and means for operating the rack-bars at predeterminedintervals for actuating the connecting devices to connect the Wiresengaged thereby.

10. In a wire weaving machine, the combination of a rotary drum,supports reciprocally mounted on said drum, wire connecting devicesmounted in said supports, means at the opposite ends of said drumcooperating with each alternate support for intermittently moving thesame lengthwise for deflecting Wires engaged by the connecting devicescarried thereby, and means operating subsequent to the deflection of thewires for actuating the connecting devices to connect said wires.

11. In a wire weaving machine, the combination of a traveling carrier, aplurality of rows of supports mounted on said carrier, a plurality ofwire connecting devices mounted in each support, means disposed at theopposite ends of alternate supports for moving said supports lengthwiseat pre determined intervals for deflecting wires engaged by theconnecting devices of the respective supports, and means in operativeconnection with the connecting devices of each row for actuating thesaid connecting devices, said means operated from the respective ends oftheir supports, from which said supports are moved for deflecting saidwires.

12. In awire weaving machine, the combination of a rotary drum, aplurality of supports mounted on said drum, a plurality ofwireconnecting devices carried by said supports and having toothedperipheries, a rackbar for each support in mesh with said connectingdevices thereoffmeans disposed at the opposite ends of alternatesupports for shifting said supports to deflect wires engaged by theconnecting devices carried thereby, and means at the opposite ends ofalternate rack-bars for reciprocating the same, whereby the connectingdevices are actuated to connect the wires engaged thereby.

18. In a wire weaving machine, the combination of a rotary drum, aplurality of supports carried thereby, a plurality of wire connectingdevices having toothed peripheries carried by said supports, meansdisposed at the opposite ends of alternate supports for shifting thesame lengthwise to deflect wires engaged by the connecting devicescarried thereby, and means at the opposite ends of alternate rack-barsfor moving said rack-bars in one direction to actuate the connectingdevices to connect wires engaged thereby, and for reversing the movementof said rack-bars to return the connecting devices to a position forreceiving wires, said means so arranged that when the supports are movedto deflect the wires, the rack-bars are moved simultaneously therewithand in the same general direction.

14. In a wire weaving machine, the com-. bination of a rotary drum, aplurality of supports mounted on said drum and having Wire receivinggrooves, a plurality of wire connecting devices carried by said supportscoincident with certain wire grooves there-

